December 2 Student Research Panel

Our last event of the fall semester is an undergraduate student research panel on December 2 at 6:00 pm in Twomey Auditorium.  Please come support our history students, who will be presenting research they have completed this fall in the Writing in the Social Sciences class.  Each student will speak for roughly 15 minutes, to be followed with a question-and-answer session.  There will be four students participating, and they will speak to a range of World War I-era topics:

Jordan Lockwood is a Senior majoring in Social Studies Education; he will present on Belgium's experiences during World War I.  Although existing international agreements recognized Belgium as a neutral nation, Germany's war plans dictated a quick defeat of France in order to avoid fighting a two-front war against France and Russia at the same time.  Standing in the way of that plan was Belgium, since the main route of invasion to capture Paris and bypass French defenses was through Belgium.  Mr. Lockwood will discuss Belgian experiences during the German invasion and occupation, how those experiences influenced Great Britain's decision to enter the war, and how Belgium fared at Versailles in the peace talks at the end of the war.

Michael Gawlick is a Junior working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  His research focuses on France during the war, showing how the influx of colonial soldiers and immigrant workers to French industry helped sustain the French war effort.  Moreover, the development of French weapons--like the 75mm gun and the Renault tank--allowed the French, with the assistance of the allies, to sustain their nation throughout the long war despite suffering significant losses in men and materiel.

Marty Kankey is a Senior majoring in Social Studies Education.  Ms. Kankey's research examines the roles of women in the allied cause, including those who served in the Navy as "Yeomanettes," those that went to Europe to serve as nurses and ambulance drivers, as well as women who participated in the war effort on the home front by planting victory gardens, producing equipment, and assisting with Red Cross and Liberty Loan drives.

Chad Dangler is a Senior majoring in History with a minor in Anthropology.  His project focuses on the Gallipoli Campaign and the British decision to open another front in Turkey near the Dardanelles Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Aegean Sea (and ultimately the Mediterranean Sea).  This straight was a vital connection for Russia, Britain's ally, as it represented the only warm-water port for moving goods into or out of Russia.  The region was also important to British long-term interests in the Middle East and protecting the Suez Canal and British territory in Egypt.

We hope to see you on December 2 at 6:00 pm to hear our students present their research!